1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic memory devices, and more specifically to a data download repository device using a plurality of slow-write-speed memory devices and a corresponding number of fast-write-speed buffer devices to achieve a fast write speed for capturing a data stream.
2. Background Art
Digital memory is a key component in a wide variety of electronic devices. In the usage of some memory-based electronic devices, such as personal computers, the writing and reading of data are typically done in a random pattern and arbitrary timing of writes and reads. In some such devices, the write speed (throughput and/or latency) may be more important than the read speed, while in others, the read speed may be more important than the write speed.
In the usage of other memory-based electronic devices, such as MP3 players, the writing and reading of data are typically done at different and distinct times. Often, the writing involves dumping a very large quantity of data, perhaps many gigabytes, into the device's memory at once, and the reading is done later, and often in significantly smaller chunks. In some such applications, the write speed becomes a commercially very important characteristic of the apparatus. For example, consumers may prefer one model very strongly over another model, simply because the former requires them to spend significantly less time waiting for the data writing to occur.
What is needed is an improved apparatus and method for writing large amounts of data quickly to a memory-based electronic device.